The Protector

The Protector
Paul chased after Serena but after noticing her pace quicken when he called out for her, he knew she wanted to be alone, so he stopped following her. Instead, he looked back at the building they had just exited and he stormed into the childhood nightmare shelter through the front door and attacked the climb up the stairs by taking three steps at a time. He heard his mother calling behind him but Paul chose to ignore her.

He took the path to Iris's bedroom- a path he hadn't taken in over fifteen years. A path he never thought he would ever encounter in this lifetime.

Without bothering to knock he turned the doorknob and stormed into his sister's room like a madman. Iris was standing in the middle of the room holding herself.

"What did you do to Serena?" He demanded as he charged at Iris.

She immediately backtracked until her back collided against the wall next to the window. She stared into his eyes with a look of surprise commingled with fear.

Paul stood directly in front of her with little room between them. He was so angry, his breath labored.

His sister gasped and flinched.

"What did you say to Serena?" He repeated himself through gritted teeth as his eyes bore hard into hers.

Seemingly recovered over his menacing entrance Iris put her hands against Paul's chest and pushed back creating distance between them.

"I told her the truth," she said as she walked around him and to their mother's side. Ellen had just walked into the room with a frightened look on her face.

Paul's body turned stiffly - not once did he remove his eyes from his sister. "Enlighten me," he said. "Because whatever you said to her broke her and she doesn't need that right now."

Iris scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised that you've taken on the role of her protector." She returned the intensity of his stare.

"What does that mean?" He spat. "She's been your friend since you were kids."

"You know damn well what that means!" She whispered vehemently.

"Kids," Ellen's voice sounded sweet but it was mired in nerves as she placed her hands around Iris's shoulders. "I don't know what's going on but why don't we sit down and talk about it."

Iris shrugged out of her mother's hold and huffed. "There's nothing to talk about. Serena and Paul have been seeing each other for who knows how long, and she selfishly kept him from us. It's her fault you had a heart attack."

"Oh, Iris," Ellen whispered with clear disappointment.

"That's a lie." Paul immediately said.

"Which part?" Iris countered.

"All of it!" He exclaimed and he ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know how you came to such an asinine conclusion, but you are way off the mark little sister." He looked from his mom to Iris. "If anything, you should be thankful to Serena that she got me here because if it wasn't for her, I never would have returned."

Iris's arms jerked to her sides and now it was she who was charging at her brother. "Asinine?!" She threw back. "You two have taken trips to Hawaii and to Las Vegas together and we're supposed to believe that everything has been innocent and coincidental?" She turned to retrieve something from the dresser counter. She returned while shoving her phone screen in his face. "You can't say this was kismet!"

Paul instinctively grabbed her cell phone to look at the picture. The scenery looked familiar as did the face on the left of the screen.

"That's your proof?" He scowled.

"Damn straight!" she countered. "You two were off taking pictures of each other while mom was at home about to drop of a heart attack!"

"Iris, stop that!" Ellen chastised.

Paul sighed and put the phone right in front of her face. "Does that centering look like she was even attempting to take a picture of me?"

Iris took the phone and studied the picture.

Paul shook his head and placed his hands on his hips for a moment. "I have to find Serena."

Paul rushed downstairs. As he stared at the front door, he decided he would stop living in the past as he consciously decided to stop living in the past by crossing that front door threshold for the third time that day.